Short Summary

Madina do Boe, a tiny village in the swampy hinterland of Guinea-Bissau, was the scene of celebrations marking the first anniversary of the Declaration of Independence of Guinea-Bissau by the PAIGC (the African Party for the Independence of Guinea-Bissau and the Cape Verde Islands.) The PAIGC declared the territory independent on 24 September 1973, although Portugal didn't officially grant independence until 10 September 1974.

Description

Madina do Boe, a tiny village in the swampy hinterland of Guinea-Bissau, was the scene of celebrations marking the first anniversary of the Declaration of Independence of Guinea-Bissau by the PAIGC (the African Party for the Independence of Guinea-Bissau and the Cape Verde Islands.) The PAIGC declared the territory independent on 24 September 1973, although Portugal didn't officially grant independence until 10 September 1974. Madina do Boe, near the Guinea border, will initially serve as the political capital, later to be shifted to the traditional centre, Bissau.

Hundreds of delegates from Africa, the Soviet Union and The People's Republic of China, as well as Portuguese Oversees Territory Minister, Dr. Antonio de Almeida Santos, packed into the tiny village. The ceremony began with a parade of PAIGC soldiers and an address by PAIGC Secretary-General Aristede Pereira. The massive influx of guests into the village caused problems, and many delegates and newsmen were stranded in the hinterland when the PAIGC halted flights to the area because of a lack of facilities.

SYNOPSIS: Aristede Pereira and Luis Cabral, leaders of the governing Party of Guinea-Bissau, greet the Secretary General of the Organisation of African Unity, Mr. Eteki M'Boumoua. M'Boumoua was one of the guests at celebrations marking the first anniversary of the Declaration of Independence of Guinea-Bissau. M'Boumoua watched the marchpast with PAIGC President Luis Cabral. Portugal granted the territory independence on 10 September, but these celebrations mark the unilateral declaration of independence on 24 September 1973 by the PAIGC. The village has special significance for the PAIGC leaders. It was here that they declared Guinea-Bissau a Republic a year ago.

The people of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau reacted calmly to the news on Tuesday (10 September) that Portugal had formally and finally granted independence to its former West African colony after 500 years of occupation and 13 years of guerrilla warfare.